4. What should I do if I witness animal cruelty or neglect?If you witness animal cruelty, please call 911 immediately. Report any neglect to Animal Control by calling 311.

5. My dog bit someone.

What happens to my dog?When a dog bites a person or another animal in Maryland, an administrative process governed by county law and overseen by county animal control begins. This process determines whether the dog will be deemed dangerous to the community and what steps the dog owner must take in order to ensure the dog doesn’t cause harm in the future. In some extreme cases, the dog could be ordered to be euthanized.

For example, in Baltimore City, here is what happens:

Depending on the situation, animal control may (or may not) immediately impound your dog.

If a hearing is required, the owner is notified that there will be a hearing to determine whether the dog is “dangerous” or “vicious.”

A dog can be deemed “dangerous” if the dog:

has bitten a person or another animal without provocation;

acts aggressively and is not restrained;

could have been exposed to rabies and is not restrained; or

requires confinement to protect the public.

A dog can be deemed “vicious” if the dog:

has severely bitten or attacked a person or another animal

OR it has previously been deemed “dangerous” and then bites a second time.

The dog owner will have a chance to defend his/her dog, particularly if the dog was provoked.

If a dog is deemed to be “dangerous,” the owner will be required to take steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Some examples are:

Keeping the dog confined, fenced in and/or muzzled

Displaying a “dangerous animal” sign

Microchipping and neutering the dog

If a dog is deemed to be “vicious,” the dog will be euthanized.

Contact your county's animal control services for the process in your county.

What happens to the dog bite victim?A completely separate legal process governs whether the dog owner will have to compensate the victim for his/her damages. This process applies only if a dog bites a person (NOT another animal) and is triggered if the victim files a lawsuit in state court to recover for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering or other damages.

If you are notified that you are being sued in court, you should contact an attorney immediately.

Dog bite victims and dog owners alike benefit from Maryland State's new dog bite legislation, which presumes that dog owners know that all dogs can bite (regardless of breed), preserves the dog owner’s ability to present evidence in their dog’s defense, and holds dog owners strictly liable for injuries inflicted while a dog is running at large (off-leash).